"Fair enough, Chark. It's a big threat to Absalom and the Isle of Kortos. And that just so happens to be where we are and where we perform. There are people we care about who'll be victims."
He strums a couple stray chords on his well-played lute. "Seems we're destined to write the Hero's Journey for ourselves. Lucky then that you have such a talented wordsmith in your company."
The great bard winks.
"It's time to get out of here. I'm tired and I need a drink. Shall we?"
Charlie shudders, "I d..d..don't want to visit Dusklight again but we n..n..need to figure out her plan."
Chark laughs lightly at Dendillion. You can order one for me, and then drink it on my behalf, she says.
To Charlie, she is more serious. I can promise you, I have no desire to see her either. But it's obvious that's where we need to go next.
With something of a direction, the party returns topside to go home. Unfortunately, rest is not to be had yet.
When you return to your circus, you spot several injured workers and evidence of a few fires. The Professor, the elderly performer responsible for the circus’s sideshow, explains what happened.
“A half dozen people came with torches and clubs. We were rehearsing, so we were too scattered to make a good defense. They wore masks, but plenty of us recognized them anyway—ruffians from the Celestial Menagerie. They didn’t kill anyone, thank the stars, but a few of our performers are going to need weeks to recover. Some of the animals died in the fires, but we’ve put everything out."
“The message was clear: we’ve been told to get out of Escadar or expect something worse. Mistress Dusklight is behind this, and all of us know it. An attack like this goes too far. She’s got to answer for what she’s done, either within the law or outside of it.”
[ooc]Since it's been a long while, you may also want to report back on what you've found to Chief Constable Andera
"Oh, she mosst definitely will answer for this," Dendillion says, hands balled into fists and his voice like iron. "The law will hear about it, and if that's not enough we'll sort this out with her ourselves. This is too far."
Chark is silent, though the fire blazing in her eyes speaks volumes.
She sets off at once to tend to the wounded and lay the poor dead animals to rest, her hands gentle and magic warm. When she feels she has done all she can for those hurt, she returns to the group, a steely look of determination on her face. We shall report this, she says, but I think it's time we pay Madame Dusklight a visit.
"Might be b..b..best to have the Constable go with us as backup." Charlie suggests as he wrings his hands nervously.
"Agreed, Charlie. Let's see the Chief Constable and report our findings. From there we can take things up with Mistress Dusklight."
As usual, Andera is working diligently in her office when you arrive. "Ah! Excellent. Glad to see everyone upright and on this side of the grass. Report. Tell me what you found underneath the city."
"First, I would like to report a crime. And you'll quickly find that this crime is related to what we found."
Dendillion takes the time necessary to explain what happened to their troupe, sparing no detail so that the constable can make the connection themself.
He then describes what they saw and encountered in their explorations. "The most troubling bit being that we have evidence connecting Mistress Dusklight with the xulgaths. And whatever they're collectively up to, it's not good for the Isle of Kortos in general."
Andera is surprised, but not terribly so. "I haven't had my briefing yet, so I'm learning this as you say it. You're describing some pretty atrocious things. Can you provide hard evidence?"
Chark begins with the note to Shrashek, signed by Mistress Dusklight.
Tiny carefully watches Andera's responses as each piece of evidence is revealed, to see if maybe she knew more than she's letting on.
She keeps staring... wanting to see more.
"Let me see if I can spell this out fully," Dendillion says, obviously flabbergasted that he needs to do this.
"Mistress Dusklight, as you know, runs the Celestial Menagerie. Many of our troupe used to perform for her, and suffered brutal conditions as a consequence. Normally, this could be chalked up as just a bad employer, until... the leader of our troupe, Myron Stendhal, wakes up dead. Murdered by an unusual amount of snake bites. Not a normal thing."
"Later, we're actually attacked by some of Dusklight's performers. We fend them off, but it was completely unwarranted. We have done nothing but stay away from their business. Regardless, I'm trying to help you see the character of Mistress Dusklight and the company she keeps."
"We warned you that there would be xulgaths in your city, and we found them. Many, actually. And they were summoning demons. Demons that we fought and killed. Literally, we interrupted a xulgath mid-negociation. There's evidence painted on the walls! There are moonstone pools that the xulgaths were looking to take power from, but we stopped them for you. They knew key words of arcane power though, provided to them by Mistress Dusklight. They mean to take the power from the Aeon Orbs that protect the Isle of Kortos."
"And you should know that the temple itself is a lost shrine to Aroden, and contains magic within it. There is a giant statue that attacked us. There's an ancient library. There's a ghost of a priest of Aroden name Ulthadar, who gave us a circlet. There's another big golem holding a chalice that is obviously a relic, but also obviously trapped."
Dendillion exhales. "It took us several days to clear that place. The short of it is that there's a lot going on there, and if all you're worried about is smugglers or guild business... you're significantly missing the point."
She listens carefully to each point. "Take this."
She grabs a form and signs it after scribbling down some details, "It's an arrest warrant for Mistress Dusklight. It identifies each of you as deputies. Furthermore, while I prefer you take her alive, I understand that you may need to defend yourselves. Questions?"
Charlie is shocked. "D..d..don't you have actual guards or deputies around here that can handle that already?" He seems a bit apprehensive about visiting Dusklight without any back-up.
"Dead or alive. We smell what your cooking Andera. I knew I liked her style."
Haldan has heard all he needed to hear.
"I do. I do. But we're... We're stretched so thinly that we can't really spare the resources needed. They, like you, are technically outside city limits. Trust me, if you want swift justice, accept this gift."
Dendillion takes the signed form. "So be it."
To the others he adds, "We know what we need to do. Let's get ready."
Sleep does not come easily to Chark that night; her rest is fitful and plagued by troubling dreams. In fact, she wakes up well past mid-morning, quite unlike her usual routine of meeting the Dawnflower at daybreak.
She fusses around the Circus for a few hours, heaving a sigh just before noon. I suppose I've put it off long enough, she says with finality. Time to pay Mistress Dusklight a visit.
"We've documentation allowing us to perform the arrest. Of course, she will resist. So I think we should expect a fight... unless she makes a run for it."
"Front door and ask her face to face?" Charlie suggests as he isn't one to burn and pillage, even if the person does deserve it.
The party does some basic recon...
The Celestial Menagerie circus grounds sprawl across a huge plot just south of Escadar. The neatly maintained forest surrounding the site conceals a high iron fence to deter trespassers from entering other than through the main gate. Lights and reflective metal ornaments hang in the trees surrounding the circus, illuminating the site with dazzling colors.
The Celestial Menagerie typically hosts a single performance each evening just after sunset, but the grounds open to the public 2 hours before the show. If the heroes arrive at the circus grounds during this time window, citizens of Escadar swarm the area, playing carnival games, wandering past sideshows, and filing into seats in the big top.
Tiny cracks his knuckles, raps his shield gently and generally tries to release a bit of anxiety.
Chark observes a moment outside the gates. For a heartbeat, it looks like she is going to turn and run away.
Instead she asks, Haldan, you have a spell that can make a person unseen for a bit, yes? Please cast it on Tiny and allow him a chance to do some unobserved reconnaissance of — her face morphs into a sour expression — this place.
Charlie looks nervous. "I am used to walking quietly through the woods to lay snares for some food. If Tiny doesn't feel comfortable I c..c..can give it a try." Charlie gulps as he is extremely nervous and scared of seeing the MIstress once more.
”I can be just as stealthy as Tiny and can get into more areas using magic or lock picks. Might be better if I go. I can also use Dimension Door to get around or through spaces if need be and turn into an animal if I need to get away.”
Haldan takes a beat.
”I think they’ll be most distracted for deeper reconnaissance during a show, but we should definitely aim to do the direct approach when people aren’t there. I don’t know what to expect if we just try to arrest her, or how to separate her from her group in order to make this easier. But, if someone could think of an option to help with this, that would be ideal. It’s possible I’ll find a clue after heading inside. Thoughts everyone?”
The group checks around the perimeter and finds no way to see inside. Back at the gate, Chark sighs. I guess we need to step inside, she says, turning to Haldan. Care to take a look and see if it's safe?
Charlie breathes a sigh of relief as Haldan volunteers himself. "That would be most helpful Haldan. If you scout it out we can g.g..get a plan and I can set up some snares.
As the party plans, the situation changes. The gate opens just a bit as a pair of rough and tumble looking bruisers come out.
"Go away. We ain't open."
Chark cocks her head to one side. Manners as poor as your grammar, she chides. But I can't claim to be shocked by either.
"Gentlemen! Is that how you treat old friends? Especially old friends as talented as we are."
"You know this slip?"
"The one with the stupid face paint?"
"He looks familiar... Yep... I remember him. Spoutin' off that stupid s@@+ about the 52."
Haldan remembers the thug on the right, but only by deed, not by name. He once played a cruel prank on the halfling. After a show the thug slipped some laxatives in Haldan's food. Then he blocked him from the privy. He certainly had a laugh...
Tiny thinks back to the time they kept poking holes in his socks and didn't have enough coin to get them darned.
Tiny looks at these thugs, looks down in embarrassment, up in rage, and then thinks about how much he's come since then, and how these guys are still just losers and lets out a little smile.
"What're you smilin' at?"
"That there is the smile of someone too stupid to know a damned thing about nothin."
Calling someone else stupid shows a profound lack of self-awareness on your part, Chark says. But it wouldn't do us any good to enter into a battle of wits — you're decidedly unarmed.
Chark waits a heartbeat, then meticulously explains. You see, that statement suggests that the two of you are witless. As in, destitute of wit or understanding and lacking thought.
"WHO YOU CALLIN' A PROSTITUTE?!"
Charlie is Scouting
(Scout)
(Search)
(Detect Magic)
(Seek, Keen Eyes)
(Search)
Round 1:
Haldan (76/76): Go
Chark: (71/71): Go
Charlie (99/99): Go
---Goliath (71/71): Go
Tiny (??/??): Go
---Þóðᛞrekkr (??/??): Go
Bruisers: TBD
Dendillion (??/??): TBD
-----------------------------
Location: Celestial Menagerie
Chark chuckles coldly. So be it.
Chark sends a blazing band of orange-white fire arcing through the air at Red.
She then gives a touch of Sarenrae's blessing to Þóðᛞrekkr. 9ooc0Cast guidance.[/ooc]
With Chark unloading Tiny wastes no time in trying to take down their old bullies before they can call for help, or whatever.
Tiny points and whistles and Þóðᛞrekkr leaps towards red and tries to take a bite out of crime.
Tiny tumbles into place next to him and tries to put him down.
Considering the history, the situation, and the recent revelations, it's no surprise that violence erupts outside the gates.
Chark opens with a well-placed spell and a boost to Þóðᛞrekkr.
Round 1:
Haldan (76/76): Go
Chark: (71/71): Hit
Charlie (99/99): Go
---Goliath (71/71): Go
Tiny (??/??): Go
---Þóðᛞrekkr (??/??): Go
Bruisers: TBD
Dendillion (??/??): TBD
-----------------------------
Location: Celestial Menagerie
Red: 24
Charlie begins cursing to himself. "This isn't good. We c..c..can't let them warn Dusklight we are here." Goliath leaps in front of Charlie to better protect him.
HP 99/99
AC 23 (25 w/ shield)
Wooden Shield 12/12; [AC Bonus +2: [Hardness 3] [HP/BT 12(6)]
Snarecraft Snares Used: Biting Snare x3
Focus 1/1
Hero Points 1/3
Goliath
HP 71/71
AC 22
Chark and Goliath, fueled with purpose open up. The bear doesn't get a good bite in, but one of Chalie's arrows does
Round 1:
Haldan (76/76): Go[/b]
Chark: (71/71): Hit
Charlie (99/99): Hit
---Goliath (71/71): Miss
Tiny (??/??): Go
---Þóðᛞrekkr (??/??): Go
Bruisers: TBD
Dendillion (??/??): TBD
-----------------------------
Location: Celestial Menagerie
Red: 24
Black: 8
Haldan summons a zombie brute behind them to cut off their path. The zombie then attacks their flank (assuming she can considering the gate).
Haldan's brute is way off target.
The brutes slap their clubs once each before they close start wailing away on the two loyal animals. You can see that they both delight in the abuse:
for
MISS
MISS
for
MISS
MISS
ROUND 1:
Haldan (76/76): Miss
Chark: (71/71): Hit
Charlie (99/99): Hit
---Goliath (71/71): Miss
Tiny (88/88): Miss
---Þóðᛞrekkr (71/71): Miss
Bruisers: ATK
Dendillion (??/??): Go
ROUND 2:
Haldan (76/76): Go
Chark: (71/71): Go
Charlie (99/99): Go
---Goliath (48/71): Go
Tiny (??/??): Go
---Þóðᛞrekkr (48/71): Go
Bruisers: TBD
Dendillion (??/??): TBD
-----------------------------
Location: Celestial Menagerie
Red: 24
Black: 8
Þóðᛞrekkr growls back and takes a bite out of crime.
Tiny drops into his tiger stance and unleashes a flurry of claws.
Dendillion breaks into song, bolstering his friends while letting the sonic sounds fling stones at a foe.